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The Advantages of Distance Education

By: Staff Writer

Pursuing an advanced degree can be a difficult feat. Those constrained by time, money, and other responsibilities often find it difficult to go back to school. The advantages of distance learning provide a convenient way to overcome these restrictions.

With distance education, students are the center of the university, so schedules revolve around the students. Distance education provides students with an equivalent education relative to a traditional campus program without the demanding class schedule.

College is a wonderful time for building friendships and taking oneself to the frontiers of knowledge. The months leading up to college are hectic. They are filled with deciding which school will best suit your needs, searching for housing that is both close and economical, as well as deciding on a major. Young, prospective students just out of high school eagerly look forward to the experiences that await them.

But what about the person who didn’t just graduate from high school? Or how about the person who works full-time to pay for school? Or the single mother? Tuition prices and daytime class hours can be difficult to overcome, enough to dissuade many from pursuing an advanced degree.

A College Degree Can Help You Find a Job

In a 2004 study done by the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the bureau found that, “an associate or bachelor’s degree is the most significant source of postsecondary education or training for 6 of the 10 fastest growing occupations.” Those are odds that cannot be ignored!

What is Distance Education?

Fortunately not all degrees must be earned within the confines of a campus. Distance learning provides students the same opportunities for receiving an education without the demanding class schedule.

With distance education, learning and class time revolve directly around the student’s schedule. Although many classes have completion deadlines, students are free to read, do homework, and take tests at times when it’s convenient for them.

Many distance education students are engaged full-time in the work force while earning their degree. The option of doing coursework at night and on the weekend makes an online degree appealing to full-time workers.

Learn to Earn: Education Pays

A distance education degree can help you achieve the earning power you deserve. The U.S. College Board did a study in 2004, Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society, showing that education pays big dividends. Students with an associate degree can expect 22% more earnings than high school graduates. Recipients of a bachelor’s degree will, on average, earn 62% more than high school graduates and 40% more than those with an associate degree. An advanced degree will pay for itself with increased earnings and increased job opportunity.

Distance Education Can Also Save Money

Living close to colleges and universities can be expensive. Distance education allows students to live in affordable housing without having to commute to school in the wake of the nation’s costly gas prices.

Whether you are seeking to finish that degree you never had the chance to, or whether you are seeking better employment opportunities through an advanced degree, distance education offers the advantages of achieving these goals by allowing you to create your own school schedule and still be able to take care of life’s other responsibilities.

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